Hoyer: Radio chatter 'dangerous'

The No. 2 Democrat in the House blasted a Minnesota radio host for calling Democrats lying, thieving, communists at a rally for Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin in Minneapolis.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he was “very, very concerned and disappointed” by Minneapolis radio host Chris Baker, who spoke at the rally last week alongside the two Republicans, rallying up the crowd by calling Democrats in Washington “lying, thieving ... bunch of commies.”

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“I don’t think that’s very useful, not only do I not think it’s useful, I think it creates an atmosphere and a debate that is neither constructive and can sometimes be dangerous,” Hoyer said at his weekly meeting with reporters.

Hoyer waded directly into the anger that has been bubbling nationwide over the health care overhaul vote, calling on lawmakers to “urge the American people and conduct ourselves in a way that provides an environment for the civility.” While acknowledging differences between members of Congress and political parties, Hoyer said “debate ought to be civil, ought to be constructive and ought to be designed to educate the public, not to incite the public as to the positions of each party.”

Hoyer also went after Bachmann and others who said that Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and other black lawmakers lied about being harassed on the day the House passed health care overhaul. He called that credibility “questionable.”

“People denied a lot of things happened that are bad things that happened and I don’t think that’s particularly useful,” Hoyer said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that what John Lewis said happened and what others saw happened and heard happened did in fact happen.”